Two Naxals, including a hardcore Jan Militia commander who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, were today gunned down and another injured in two separate gun-battles in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar division.
A 22-year-old cadre Kunjam Linga, who was active as Jan Miltia Commander under Jagargunda Area Committee of Maoist was killed in a skirmish with a joint team of security forces in the restive forests of Chintagufa police station area in Sukma district, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh told PTI.
Acting on an intelligence input about the presence of a group of 8-10 ultras in Tekalpara area of Chintagufa, a composite team of 206th battalion of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), CRPF's 150 battalion, District Reserve Group (DRG) and district force had launched a combing exercise in the region, he said.
Sensing the presence of security forces near Tekalpara, a group of armed Naxals opened indiscriminate firing on the forces triggering a gun-battle between both the sides.
On finding Naxals escaping from a spot taking the cover of thick trees along a nullah, another team of police, positioned on the other side of rivulet launched retaliatory action on them, the ASP said.
However, the Naxals managed to flee taking the advantage of dense jungle, he added.
During the search, body of a rebel besides one muzzle loading gun was recovered from the spot, the officer said.
Later, an injured Naxal Sodhi Mang - a Jan Militia member was spotted hiding behind a rock and was arrested, he said.
Police noted that the arrested Jan Miltia Commander Kunjam Linga was a prominent cadre of the region who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head.
According to the officer, he was allegedly involved in several deadly Naxal incidents including Kasalpada ambush in Chintagufa (2014) in which 14 security force personnel were killed and as many others injured.
He was also allegedly involved in the attack on Special Task Force (STF) party last year in Pidmel (Sukma) in which seven personnel were martyred and 10 others injured.
In another incident, a Naxal was killed in an exchange of
fire between a team of District Reserve Group (DRG) and ultras in Bastar district.
The skirmish took place in the forestedhill of Korli under Mardum police station limits this morning, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range S R P Kalluri told
(REOPENS DEL41)
The CRPF, later in the evening, said the operation was jointly launched by CoBRA and DRG forces on March 1 and a fierce encounter began yesterday.
Officials claimed that the forces killed about nine Naxals and inflicted "heavy losses" on them but when the commandos were trying to retrieve bodies of Maoists, they got injured in firing from the other side.
The Dubbamarka area where the exchange occurred is a claimed "liberated zone" of the armed ultras, the CRPF said in a statement.
